Blank holder device

ABSTRACT

Improved multipiece cup holder sleeve device for deep drawing and ironing presses, wherein the various sections of the multipiece cup holder sleeve device are locked together in a unique fashion, while at the same time being so constructed and assembled as to require but the minimal fluid pressure, e.g. air pressure for activation and for exerting uniformly balanced and minimal working pressures against the bottoms of thin metallic cup-shaped workpieces prior to engagement by and movement of such a workpiece into the initial die of the press by the press ram or punch.

United States Patent [191 Kinghorn 1 BLANK HOLDER DEVICE [75] Inventor: Charles M. Kinghom, Moraga,

Calif.

[73] Assignee: Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Coorporation, Oakland, Calif.

[22] Filed: Feb. 27, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 336,174

[52] U.S. Cl. 72/349 [51] Int. Cl ..B211d 24/04 [58] Field of Search 72/347-349, 361

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,270,544 9/1966 Maeder et a1 72/346 3,289,453 12/1966 Wyle et a1 72/349 3,312,097 4/1967 Henrickson et a1 72/347 3,314,274 4/1967 Langewis 72/349 3,478,563 11/1969 Bozek i 72/349 3,511,076 5/1970 Kapke 72/420 [4 1 Feb. 26, 1974 3,577,753 5/1971 Shah 72/41 3,704,619 12/1967 Paramonoff 72/349 3,745,804 7/1973 Langewis et a1. 72/361 Primary Examiner-Richard .l. Herbst Attorney, Agent, or FirmPau1 E. Calrow; John S.

Rhoades 5 7] ABSTRACT 11 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB 2 6 I974 SHEET 1 OF 3 PATENI ED FEB 2 61974 sum 2 or 3 1 BLANK HOLDER DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to metal blank cup holder sleeve devices used in deep draw and ironing presses. More particularly, it is concerned with an improved and reliable cup holder sleeve device and the operation thereof in positioning and orienting a cupshaped metal article, such as an aluminum can body starting blank having a sidewall and bottom of thin gauge adjacent and relative to the entry end of the dies or tool pack of a deep draw and iron press. The functions as well as the various problems normally encountered in and incident to the use of such a sleeve device are discussed in some detail in US. Pat. No. 3,289,453

. issued Dec. 6, 1966, as well as in US. Pat. No.

3,704,619 issued Dec. 5, 1972. For example, this latter patent discusses how the time required for the blank holder to be moved from a rearward or withdrawn position into the work engaging position should be minimal and involve controlled and relatively fast acceleration in movement immediately followed by fast deceleration. This is desired so that the blank holder will operate smoothly and arrive at a final working position adjacent the redraw or first die of the press with the cupshaped metal blank or workpiece being pressed against the redraw die ring without excessive metal-to-metal contact, impact, shock or vibration that might interfere with the requisite smooth passage and flow of metal making up the cup into and through the first die as the cup is forced into and through the first die by the press punch. The smooth undistorted and fully controlled flow and passage of metal through the first die is important because of the lasting influence such metal movement will have on the successive metal working operations, e.g. cup wall ironing operations and because, for example, undesirable wrinkling or distortion of the metal in the bottom and sidewall of the blank would, among other things, inhibit the satisfactory and desired elongation and thinning of the wall of the workpiece.

The patent further points out that the cycling operations of such presses are extremely high and can range anywhere from 100 to 125 cycles per minute or more. Thus, it is particularly important in order to obtain uniformly drawn and ironed cup-shaped metal articles at the aforesaid production rates that a minimal yet uniformly balanced and effective holding pressure be exerted or applied against the cup-shaped workpiece bottom by the cup holder sleeve as the cup-shaped workpiece is advanced towards and then held against the initial or redraw die by the cup holder sleeve until the workpiece is removed or picked off the sleeve by the ram as the ram advances in telescopic fashion through the cup holder sleeve and into the first die along with the cup-shaped workpiece. The reason for using minimal and balanced holding pressures is in order to initially obtain and then maintain the desired and optimum axial alignment between (a) the cup-shaped metal workpiece, (b) the cup holder sleeve device, (c) the forming ram or punch and (d) the die opening of the first die up to the time the cup moves into the redraw or reshaping die as well as the initial stages of the redraw, so that the cup-shaped workpiece, as it is drawn and moved into the initial or redraw die by the punch will enter the die in as truly centered a position as possible so as to obtain firstly a uniform redrawing of the workpiece bottom and sidewall in the drawing die and an ultimate uniform ironing of all portions of the reshaped workpiece wall in the various ironing dies of the press with the least amount or desirably no amount of metal wall wrinkling or distortion that would adversely affect the metal working operations and the quality of the resultant container products.

This precise and sophisticated positioning or orientation and control of the workpiece prior to die entry is particularly critical, when it is realized that the thin metallic material being used today for the cup-shaped starting articles or workpieces can comprise an aluminum base alloy designated by the alloy number 3004 by the Aluminum Association and on the order of 0.0165 inch initial nominal bottom and sidewall thickness and of extra hard temper, such as an H-19 temper. Such a metal workpiece is ordinarily relatively brittle and readily susceptible to fracture unless handled delicately even though use of the harder temper material is desirable because its inherent strength ultimately permits thinner gauge walls in the final product such as nominal 0.005 inch gauge and thus less aluminum material in the final container.

The deficiencies alleged for a fluid operated cup holder sleeve as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,619 are believed overcome in the improved and preferably air operated cup holder sleeve of the instant invention as will be indicated hereinafter. The metal cup thickness tolerances that occur in workpiece manufacturing, such as a cupping press operation and which necessarily result in slight variations in metal thickness from one cup-shaped metal workpiece to another are advantageously automatically fully compensated for in a practical fashion by use of the relatively friction-free, jamproof and vibration-free, novel cup holder sleeve device of the instant invention.

Other prior art patents which disclose sleeve-like cup holder devices used in deep draw and iron presses but which do not possess the novel structural and operating characteristics of the device of the instant invention are shown in US. Pat. Nos. 3,270,544, 3,312,097 and 3,478,563, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 3,577,753.

SUMMARY oF THE INVENTION The instant invention is concerned with an improved multipiece cup holder sleeve device for a deep draw and iron press. This device is preferably air operated so as to retain the cup-shaped articles, such as a somewhat shallow aluminum alloy cup-shaped workpiece, by expandable and easily controlled pressure against the initial or redraw die of the press whereby the positioning of the blank holder by virtue of the air pressure will automatically compensate for variations in metal thicknesses due to tolerances in original metal thicknesses of the cups and metal flow at least during the initial stages of redrawing while still exerting the proper and predetermined desired pressure against the workpiece during the said redrawing operation. A multipiece sleeve device is preferred over a one-piece sleeve device for reasons to be discussed hereinafter.

This pressure at any given time should be as uniform and balanced as possible against and across the entire bottom of the cup and when such uniform and balanced pressure is attained by use of the smallest or lightest practical holding pressure of the sleeve against the cup bottom, there will be obtained substantially at all times from cup to cup the optimum axial alignment between cup, ram and die opening as the individual and successive cups are introduced at high production rates or cycles into the die opening by the ram as the ram passes through the sleeve in telescopic fashion. The ultimate and desired result is that successive metal cupshaped workpieces will all be uniformly redrawn in the drawing die followed by a subsequent uniform ironing of the wall of the container as the ram passes in a continuous operating stroke firstly through the redrawing die and next through one or more ironing dies so that the final container will have a wall of substantially uniform thickness along its entire periphery. At the same time there will be a minimal or no initial wrinkling of the cup-shaped workpiece wall which would interfere with the ultimate proper and selected redrawing and ironing of the cup wall.

This balanced and minimal holding pressure is obtained, among other things, by making the sleeve-like cup holder device relatively friction-free and selflubricating whereby it will shuttle back and forth as smoothly as possible. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the cup holder sleeve has a minimal mass consistent with other requirements so as to have a featherlike weight whereby only a small amount of air pressure is needed, for example, 80 psi to 100 psi, to obtain a light holding pressure required to move and to axially orient the cup properly relative to the dies and to exert the proper holding pressure on the workpiece until it is passed through the dies by the ram together with a quick movement of the cup holder towards the dies and a quick return consistent with the operating cycles of the press and as required in present-day commercial can making operations. At the same time, the sleeve is to be made as durable as practical and provided with a relatively long rear guide skirt.

The frictionless characteristics or properties of the cup holder sleeve are enhanced by utilizing only relatively small seals. On the other hand, when small seals are employed, other problems sometimes occur whereby, if the sleeve were to be made as a unitary item from a single piece of metal, the frictional heat developed at high production rates in the nose portion of the sleeve during use will be more readily transferred to the piston surface and the seals and tend to develop a warpage of the piston and seals. This can ultimately result in the cup holder sleeve becoming jammed and inoperative in its associated fluid cylinder.

Accordingly, all of the aforesaid problems are substantially avoided when the sleeve is advantageously made in sections or parts and the novel means of the instant invention are provided for locking the pieces together to prevent their disjoindure and the disengagement or the loosening of the nose portion from the piston portion during use. Normally, the cup holder is free to turn or spin within its associated cylinder and will actually do so as it reciprocates at the high operating cycles and at the same time develop an opposing torque that must be resisted by the sleeve parts to prevent separation of the same. Over a prolonged period of time of continuous cycling, this could result in an unlocking of the sleeve parts one from another and result in a breakage of parts and machine breakdown. This is one of the problems inherent in the use of the cup holder sleeves of the type shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,577,753.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an overall side elevational and partly sectional view of a typical draw and iron press or can bodymaker device, such as one of the type shown in Langewis U.S. Pat. No. 3,314,274, issued Apr. 18, 1967, and with which the cup holder sleeve device of the instant invention may be used;

FIG. la is a front elevational view of an oil reservoir taken within circumscribing line 1a of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view generally taken within the circumscribing line 22 of FIG. 1 and with parts added;

FIG. 2a is a partly fragmented sectional view taken generally along line 2a-2a of FIG. 2 with parts removed;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the cup holder sleeve of the instant invention; and

FIG. 4 is a view taken generally along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With further reference to the drawings and, in particular, FIGS. 1 and 2, the novel cup holder sleeve device 10 of the instant invention is adapted to be affixed to the barrel section 12 of a draw and iron press or can bodymaker 14 of the type shown, e.g. in Langewis U.S. Pat. No. 3,314,274 by being attached to the forward portion of such a barrel by suitable fittings to be described. Although reference can be made to the above patent for a full discussion of the bodymaker shown therein as well as its mode of operation, it can be pointed out here that the barrel 12 of the bodymaker generally shown therein houses a reciprocating ram or forming punch 16 attached to rod and piston unit 18 as described in the patent and this punch moves through the aligned redraw and ironing dies in one continuous stroke. The unit 18 is driven forward along with punch 16 by a driving piston and fluid coupling assembly 20 and backward by the compressed air spring arrangement 22.

The main crankshaft 24 to which the driving crank 26 for the press driving piston is attached can be driven by the motor 28 connected by pulley belt 30 to the large drive sheave 32 affixed to crankshaft 24 in a manner well known in the art. Also trained about crankshaft 24 is a belt 34 that drives a sheave or pulley 36 affixed to a cam shaft 38 on which is mounted a cam 40 the function of which will be described more fully hereinafter in its controlling the operation of the cup holder sleeve device 10.

Cup holder sleeve device 10, as indicated particularly in FIG. 2, generally comprises an overall fluid cylinder assembly, e.g. air cylinder assembly 42 affixed to the front barrel portion of the press 14. Assembly 42 comprises an annular and somewhat cup-shaped housing 44 provided with a cylindrical inner chamber 46 within which the sleeve piston 48 is mounted in a manner to be described together with a combination adapter and backing plate 50 which is affixed directly to the cylinder barrel 12 of the can bodymaker or press 14. Backer plate 50 is provided with a central opening 52 within which the main barrel sleeve 54 for the ram 16 fits and reciprocates. Central opening 52 is also closed off by means of the usual bearing seals 56. Backer plate is held against and affixed to the housing 12 by means of the usual countersunk machine bolts 58. The outermost surface of the backer plate 50 is stepped at 60 to receive the shoulder portion 62 of the main housing 44. The housing 44 is held in place against backer plate 50 by virtue of a series or plurality of machine bolts 64 which extend through the backer plate 50 in the manner shown in FIG. 2 as well as through the main housing plate 44.

As indicated heretofore, the inside of housing plate 44 is hollowed out to form a chamber 46 for receiving the sectional blank holder sleeve 66 comprised primarily of a nose portion 68 and a piston section or portion 70 that includes piston 48. Nose portion 68 which has a diameter sufficiently small to fit within and accommodate a cup-shaped workpiece, yet large enough to make the fit loose yet snug is advantageously machined out of a heavy duty and appropriately heat treated piece of steel on the order of 65 Rockwell hardness, while piston section 70 can be made of preheated steel stock on the order of 45 to 50 Rockwell hardness. The nose section includes a central cylindrical opening 72 and a small outer annular flange or rib 74. Rib 74 on the nose section is adapted to match or mate with the shoulder 76 on the piston section and serves as a centering or locating device for effecting proper and true alignment of the piston section with the nose section. The piston section is secured to the nose section by means of a series of machine bolts 78 which may have hexagonal heads that fit within the annular countersunk well portion 80 of the piston section 70 adjacent the elongated and rearward sleeve extension 82. This sleeve extension is preferably longer than nose section 68 or the central axial length of chamber 46 in order to maintain full sealing contact with main sleeve seals 56 during the fullest extension of nose section 68 and a balanced, full and firm support and axial guidance of the nose section 68 during nose and workpiece bearing contact. In short, such a skirt or extension 82 materially aids in maintaining the desired sleeve and workpiece alignment and contact.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, an appropriate length of standard tempered and stiff piano wire 84 is inserted or threaded through all of the central cross-bores 86 in each of the bolts 78. The wire 84 forms almost a complete circle and acts in the manner of a cotter pin as indicated in FIG. 4 in preventing a rotation of the bolts during the actuation of the sectionalized cup holder sleeve 66 whereby the disengagement and unlocking of the piston section from the nose section is effectively prevented despite the counter torque developed and any free spinning of the sleeve in chamber 46.

. In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention,.piston part 48 of the blank holder sleeve 66 is provided with an improved combination annular seal and bearing receptacle or recess 88 at the outer portion thereof. Located within this recess is a pair of annular sealing rings and bearing elements. The first of these combination bearing and sealing rings can comprise an inner neoprene O-ring 90 made by the W. S. Shamban & Company of Fort Wayne, Indiana, as part No. AR- P-568-432-A and the second ring comprises an outer cylindrical ring 92 that can be made out of teflon suitably impregnated with graphite whereby it in effect is self-lubricating. Such a tetlon impregnated graphite ring is likewise sold by W. S. Shamban & Company at Fort Wayne, Indiana, as part No. S-l2547-433-2. The use of such seals and rings reduces in a substantial way the friction between the piston section and the wall of the housing chamber 46. For all practical purposes these same seal and bearing rings allow the cup holder sleeve 66 to absorb all of the normal machine vibrations and shocks without transferring them to the workpiece W through nose portion and workpiece contact.

As indicated particularly in FIG. 1, the sleeve 66 can be operated off of the main drive of the can bodymaker schematically shown in FIG. 1 by means of the cam 40 attached to the main drive shaft 24 of the can bodymaker or draw and iron press 14. Cam 40 contacts and operates the electrical switch element 94 that controls the solenoid of a standard electrically operated fourway air valve 95 provided with fluid ports A, B, C and D. During operation of the press 14 and rotation of cam device 40 and during the forward stroke of the press, port D would be connected to port A whereby air under pressure could be transferred from the main air source line 96 into port D of valve 95 and then out of valve 95 and into line 97 where it is then transferred to the backside of the sleeve piston 48 in chamber 46 forcing the piston and sleeve 66 forward and nose section 68 into contact with the lowermost cup in a column of cups, the lowermost cup or workpiece W being located upon the ledge element 98 bolted to housing 44 by bolts 64 and adjacent the open section or front section of the barrel housing 12.

At the same time that air is passed through line 97 against the backside of the piston in chamber 46, air is exhausted from the front of chamber 46 through the opening area or conduit section 99 and into line 100 and then through valve opening or port C through valve 95 and out valve port B to the exit line 101 leading to the atmosphere.

On the return stroke of the ram 16 and preferably slightly before such return stroke, there will be a backward movement of the sleeve 66 as it is controlled by preset press cam 40. The cam is so set as to cause the triggering of solenoid in valve 95 by switch element 94 to effect turning of the valve spool whereby valve port D is connected to valve port B and valve port A is connected to valve port C. This means that air under pressure now will enter the lines 100 and 99 at the forward end of chamber 46 driving the sleeve 66 backwards at the same time air is exhausted from the backside of the piston 48 of sleeve 66 in chamber 46 through the conduit line 97 and into opening or port D of valve 95 and then out of port B to the atmosphere.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, main fluid or air line 96 can include an oil reservoir or cylinder 95' filled with lubricating oil, which is picked up and entrained by the air in line 96 in aspirating fashion as the air passes through the line 96 in the manner shown in the diagrammatic section of FIG. la. This lubricating oil is effect is carried by the air from line 96 into both sides of chamber 46 to both sides of piston 48 where it is used to advantage in maintaining constant lubrication of the walls of the chamber 46 relative to the piston head 48 as well as the outer surface of the nose section 68. By virtue of the constant lubrication of the nose section 68, there will be minimal chances of the cup-shaped workpieces W sticking to the sleeve 66 and of resulting in a jamming and breakdown of the press. Further, whatever lubricant resides on the inside of nose portion 68 will permit the smooth transition or movement of the punch or ram 16 relative to sleeve 66 as the ram moves through and out of sleeve 66 into the tool pack assembly of the press. This tool pack assembly as is conventional can contain the usual ironing dies as well as the initial redraw die 93 and the redraw die 93 can be either a straight redraw or reverse redraw die of the type shown in the above Langewis patent.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it will be noted that the barrel sleeve 12 is stepped in the area 105 not only to slidably receive the cup holder sleeve device 66, but also to act as a stop element for the sleeve so as to prevent further retraction of the sleeve 66 within the barrel.

Further, if desired, a series of ports 110 which ultimately lead to a source of oil under pressure can be disposed in the barrel 12, etc. where they can be used to inject oil into the main bore of main barrel sleeve 54 so that the punch 16 as it moves through the sleeve 54 is constantly and properly lubricated during the operation and cycling of the press.

The cup-shaped workpiece W can be advantageously deposited or fed to shelf or ledge 98 in an appropriate fashion by a suitable blank feed device such as a feed device of the type shown in the Kapke US. Pat. No. 3,511,076, issued May 12, 1970, and it is from this ledge or shelf that the cup-shaped workpiece is picked up initially by the sleeve device 66 and presented to the redraw die 93 slightly in advance of the ram 16 and held against the die with but the aforementioned very light and gentle pressure until such time as the ram 16 contacts the bottom of the workpiece and moves forward to pick off the workpiece W from the sleeve 66 and draw it through the redraw die 93.

From the above, it will now be apparent that the sleeve device 66 advantageously has many functions. It advantageously supports the punch 16 and maintains the punch in proper alignment with the dies of the tool pack particularly the redraw or initial die 93 at the time the punch is brought into and maintains contact with the cupshaped blank or workpiece W and as the workpiece makes its initial entrance into the dies.

At the same time the sleeve member acts as a metal anti-wrinkling device by preventing collapse of the wall of the workpiece as it is being deformed during initial redrawing and translation from sleeve 66 to the redraw die 93 by the punch. Finally the sleeve 66 advantageously acts to orient the workpiece and axially align the workpiece not only with the punch but also with the dies as it holds the workpiece under gentle and balanced pressure across the entire bottom of the cup and against the dies until the ram forces the workpiece W off of the sleeve into the redraw die where the overall bottom area of the cup may be reduced by as much as 28 percent. In other words, the sleeve device because of its particular structure and method of operation will float and be as friction-free as possible so that it can exert the smallest and optimum amount of balanced and uniform holding pressure against the entire area of the cup bottom just prior to the time it is picked up by the ram and drawn into the die so that properly drawn and ironed metal containers, e.g. thin walled aluminum seamless containers can be produced at commercial rates.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention has been shown and described. It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein as defined in the appended claims, wherein;

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for forming deep drawn seamless metal can bodies provided with a bottom and sidewall formed integrally therewith the combination or a redraw and ironing die means, a forming punch movable into and out of said die means and operable to force a metal cup-shaped workpiece through said die means during the forward stroke of the punch so as to draw and iron the cup-shaped metal workpiece, means for operating said punch, a fluid operated cup holder sleeve device telescopically arranged relative to said punch and operable and movable independently of the punch relative to said die means, said sleeve device including a piston section and a uniform pressure applying nose section removably secured to said piston section, the sleeve device being adapted to move forward toward the die means slightly in advance of the punch and to engage and press a cup-shaped workpiece against the redraw portion of said die means and to effect a centering of the cup-shaped workpiece relative to the axis of the die means and the punch until and as the punch displaces the cup-shaped workpiece from the sleeve device and carries the cup-shaped workpiece into the redraw portion of the die means, a plurality of bolt elements for removably locking the nose section of the sleeve device to said piston section, a cotter pin-like lock means for said bolt elements for preventing the turning of the bolt elements and an unlocking of the nose section from the piston section during operation of the sleeve device and said piston section having an elongated skirt element for axially supporting and guiding said nose section relative to a workpiece.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including low pressure compressed air means for operating said sleeve device.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the nose section is made from heat treatable steel of greater Rockwell hardness than the piston section.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cotter pin-like means comprises a single relatively stiff wire threaded through all of the bolt elements.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim I wherein the piston section is provided with a combination selflubricating seal and bearing means.

6. In an apparatus for forming deep drawn seamless metal can bodies provided with a. bottom and a sidewall formed integrally therewith the combination of a redraw and ironing die means, a forming punch movable in a single continuous stroke into and through said die means so as to draw and iron a cup-shaped metal workpiece, means for actuating said punch, a fluid operated cup holder sleeve device telescopingly arranged relative to said punch and operable and movable independently of the punch relative to said die means, said sleeve device including a piston section and a uniform pressure applying nose section removably secured to said piston section, the sleeve device being adapted to move forward toward the die means slightly in advance of the punch means and to engage and press a cupshaped metal workpiece against the initial and redraw portion of the die means and to effect a centering of the cup-shaped workpiece relative to the axis of the die means and the punch until and as the punch displaces the cup-shaped workpiece from the sleeve device and carries the cup-shaped workpiece into the redraw portion of the die means, a plurality of bolt elements for removably locking the nose section of the sleeve device to said piston section, each of said bolt elements having a cross bore therein and a common stiff wire element threaded through said bores in cotter pin fashion so as to prevent the turning of the bolt elements and an unlocking of the nose section from the piston section during operation of the sleeve device and said piston section having an elongated skirt element for axially supporting and guiding said nose section relative to said cup-shaped workpiece.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 including a combination self-lubricating seal and bearing means for the piston section of said sleeve device.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 including means for synchronizing the movements of said punch and said sleeve device.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 including low pressure compressed air means for operating said sleeve device.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said compressed air means includes a lubricating oil reservoir connected to the air source line whereby lubricating oil for said sleeve device can be entrained in the air used to actuate and which contacts the sleeve device.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said compressed air means includes a lubricating oil reservoir connected to the air source line whereby lubricating oil for said sleeve device can be entrained in the air used to actuate and which contacts the sleeve device.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent 871 Dated February 26, 1974 I t Charles M. Kinghorn It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Columnsl, Line 63 "fits and" should be -fits.-' 7

Column 4,'Line 64, "reciprocates. Central" should be -Central- Column 4, Line 65, "plate" should be -plate 50- Column 7, Line 7, "barrel sleeve 12" should be --barrel sleeve Column 8, Line 58, "punch means and should be punch and-- Signed and sealed this 17th day of September 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer 7 7 Commissioner of Patents FORM lac-05 (oi-69) I J USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 I i u 5. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I969 o3ss-334, 

1. In an apparatus for forming deep drawn seamless metal can bodies provided with a bottom and sidewall formed integrally therewith the combination or a redraw and ironing die means, a forming punch movable into and out of said die means and operable to force a metal cup-shaped workpiece through said die means during the forward stroke of the punch so as to draw and iron the cup-shaped metal workpiece, means for operating said punch, a fluid operated cup holder sleeve device telescopically arranged relative to said punch and operable and movable independently of the punch relative to said die means, said sleeve device including a piston section and a uniform pressure applying nose section removably secured to said piston section, the sleeve device being adapted to move forward toward the die means slightly in advance of the punch and to engage and press a cupshaped workpiece against the redraw portion of said die means and to effect a centering of the cup-shaped workpiece relative to the axis of the die means and the punch until and as the punch displaces the cup-shaped workpiece from the sleeve device and carries the cup-shaped workpiece into the redraw portion of the die means, a plurality of bolt elements for removably locking the nose section of the sleeve device to said piston section, a cotter pin-like lock means for said bolt elements for preventing the turning of the bolt elements and an unlocking of the nose section from the piston section during operation of the sleeve device and said piston section having an elongated skirt element for axially supporting and guiding said nose section relative to a workpiece.
 2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including low pressure compressed air means for operating said sleeve device.
 3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the nose section is made from heat treatable steel of greater Rockwell hardness than the piston section.
 4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cotter pin-like means comprises a single relatively stiff wire threaded through all of the bolt elements.
 5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the piston section is provided with a combination self-lubricating seal and bearing means.
 6. In an apparatus for forming deep drawn seamless metal can bodies provided with a bottom and a sidewall formed integrally therewith the combination of a redraw and ironing die means, a forming puNch movable in a single continuous stroke into and through said die means so as to draw and iron a cup-shaped metal workpiece, means for actuating said punch, a fluid operated cup holder sleeve device telescopingly arranged relative to said punch and operable and movable independently of the punch relative to said die means, said sleeve device including a piston section and a uniform pressure applying nose section removably secured to said piston section, the sleeve device being adapted to move forward toward the die means slightly in advance of the punch means and to engage and press a cup-shaped metal workpiece against the initial and redraw portion of the die means and to effect a centering of the cup-shaped workpiece relative to the axis of the die means and the punch until and as the punch displaces the cup-shaped workpiece from the sleeve device and carries the cup-shaped workpiece into the redraw portion of the die means, a plurality of bolt elements for removably locking the nose section of the sleeve device to said piston section, each of said bolt elements having a cross bore therein and a common stiff wire element threaded through said bores in cotter pin fashion so as to prevent the turning of the bolt elements and an unlocking of the nose section from the piston section during operation of the sleeve device and said piston section having an elongated skirt element for axially supporting and guiding said nose section relative to said cup-shaped workpiece.
 7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 including a combination self-lubricating seal and bearing means for the piston section of said sleeve device.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6 including means for synchronizing the movements of said punch and said sleeve device.
 9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 including low pressure compressed air means for operating said sleeve device.
 10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said compressed air means includes a lubricating oil reservoir connected to the air source line whereby lubricating oil for said sleeve device can be entrained in the air used to actuate and which contacts the sleeve device.
 11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said compressed air means includes a lubricating oil reservoir connected to the air source line whereby lubricating oil for said sleeve device can be entrained in the air used to actuate and which contacts the sleeve device. 